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Study: Soy ingredient may prevent colon cancer

Category: Colon

Testing for colon cancer may be encouraged after a new study identified a natural molecule found in soy that may assist in treatment of the disease.

According to a team of California researchers, higher levels of sphingadienes, lipid molecules also known as SDs, in fruit flies led to a decreased spread of mutant cells. Scientists have commonly used fruit flies to study the genetics of human disease, HealthDay News reports.

The study, published in the December 15 issue of Cancer Research indicates that soy, rich in SDs, could become a useful cancer killer.

"This information is important because we can build on our understanding of the structure and metabolism of SDs in terms of developing new drugs to treat people who have colon cancer," Dr Julie Saba, director of the Cancer Center at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, told the news source.

She added that the study of SDs may also help scientists uncover new combinations of drugs used to thwart the mutant cells that could result in colon cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 90 percent of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are over age 50, and about 20 percent have family members also affected by the disease.